


I'm Not Making Out In Front Of A Giraffe

by ConkusConcussion



Series: Markus and Connor Are Awkward Seducers in Love [4]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Blue Haired Traci is named Traci Blau, Blue-Haired Traci's Girlfriend is named Tracee Erickson, Carl's Giraffe is there, Connor Panics, Connor is a nervous mess, Cute, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Markus has it under control though, Markus is secretly a nervous mess, Poor Connor, The Tracis are married and I have no regrets, Yes it's a joke come at me, but Connor doesn't know that, lots of tags but no regrets, they are in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 21:24:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15671562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ConkusConcussion/pseuds/ConkusConcussion
Summary: It's their two month anniversary and Connor is panicking. He really,reallywants for his relationship with Markus to last, but is he blowing things out of proportion? Lucky for him, Markus has a plan.Alternatively: Markus does cute stuff then they get tipsy.





	I'm Not Making Out In Front Of A Giraffe

**Author's Note:**

> This is kind of all over the place? I tried my best though

           Connor sat at his desk, leaned back in his chair and biting his thumb. He knew he should be going over case files right now, but he had an urgent issue, one that couldn’t wait. If he didn’t have a solution by the time he clocked out, the world would -- metaphorically -- end. The clock read 4:23, he had seven minutes to figure things out.

           “My fucking god, Connor. I can practically hear you thinking over there. What the hell’s the problem?” Hank asked gruffly, looking past his computer monitor at him. Connor looked over at his dad, meeting his gaze.

           “It’s our two month anniversary,” Connor admitted lamely. He could see the older man’s confusion, so he elaborated. “With Markus. Dating.”

           “This shit again? I thought you were gonna take him out to some fancy dinner or something.” Hank said irritably. Probably because Connor had called him up late last night asking for advice.

           “But what if he doesn’t want a fancy dinner? What if he doesn’t even want to keep track of our anniversary?” Connor hadn’t dated a lot of people in high school or even college, but with what little experience he did have, he knew that some people didn’t like keeping track of how long they’d been together.

           “I don’t know what to tell you, you’re the one dating him, not me.” Hank frowned. “Take him out anyway, can’t do any harm, right?”

           Connor shrugged, but still didn’t resume working, too lost in thought. He knew Markus liked painting and music, but they had gone to the gallery on their fifth (and most recent) date. It had been beautiful, and Markus even told him the story behind one of his father’s paintings which were hanging in there. It had been called the Recovery, and Carl had painted it in honour of Markus’ half-brother, Leo’s, drug rehabilitation. Connor didn’t really see it, but the gleam in Markus’ eyes had been worth it.

           If something as simple as paintings made Markus happy, then would a dinner be too much? All of their previous dates were to more casual locations: their first and fourth dates had been to the park; one had been to the zoo; one to a coffee shop; and their most recent to the art gallery. Maybe they should just do something more casual then, like a picnic? Connor could still cancel their reservations. His hand was halfway to where his cell phone was perched on his desk, only to stop. What if Markus really did want a fancy date? Connor hated disappointing people, and he was pretty sure his heart would break a little if he let Markus down. Glancing at the clock, he saw it said 4:28. Two minutes away. His foot started tapping on the ground, the clacking of his shoe quiet. He would keep the reservations then-

           His phone rang. He scrambled to pick it up and answer it. “Hello?”

           “ _Hello, this is Tatiana’s Fine Dining. I’m calling to confirm the reservations at 5:30 today for Anderson?_ ”

           Connor swallowed and glanced over at his dad, who raised an expectant eyebrow. When he answered, his voice came out breathless and unsure.

           “Well… Actually, I’d think… I’d like to cancel.” He said slowly. His dad threw his hands in the air and rolled his eyes ‘fucking hell’ leaving his lips but remaining respectfully quiet at least.

           “ _Alright. Are you sure? Once you cancel, you can’t get it back._ ”

           “I’m sure.” He was definitely not sure.

           “ _Cancelled. Have a nice day, sir._ ” The dial tone followed. Connor stared blankly ahead, not really sure what he was doing. He turned to his dad, but right as he opened his mouth to speak, his dad held up a hand.

           “No. It’s quitting time and your worrying has given me a headache. Just… figure something out. Markus seems like a nice kid. I’m sure he’ll understand.” His dad had stood up as he spoke, taking his coat from off the back of his chair and shrugging it on. He clapped Connor on the back, but he had still heard the “maybe” he muttered under his breath as he left.

           Connor looked over at the clock and saw that indeed did say 4:30. The gravity of what Connor had done was just now beginning to weigh on him, and his thoughts began to race a mile a minute, panic-stricken. No reservations, now what? Would Markus be disappointed in him? Would he break-up with him? They were just getting to know each other, but Connor really liked Markus so far and he didn’t want to screw it up He really didn’t want to screw it up.

           In a sudden burst, Connor practically launched himself from his seat and walked at a brisk pace towards the entrance. He was so lost in thought, that he didn’t even stop to say goodbye to his brother and Reed, who just looked at him as he passed in slight confusion, before shrugging and returning to talking to each other. He maintained his fast walk all the way out of the building and down the sidewalk to his car. He turned on the car and immediately cranked up the heating. Taking a deep breath, he put the car in drive and began to head towards Markus’ house.

           His fingers drummed along the steering wheel as he did his best to come up with a plan while still keeping at least some of his attention on the road. Date Ideas. Dates Ideas. Picnic? Done it. Hike? Does Markus even like exercise? Road Trip? Actually… There is something they could do…

           “Hey Siri, call Traci B.” It was times like these that he was glad he had synced his phone to his car.

           “ _Calling Traci B._ ” Siri’s voice came through his car speakers followed by the ringing tone.

           “ _Hello? This is Traci Beaumont._ ”

           “Hey Traci, it’s Connor.”

           “ _Hey, Connor! What’s up?_ ”

           “Well, I was hoping you could do me a favour…” Silence. “It’s nothing major.”

           “ _What is it?_ ”

           “I know you two were going to go to that one play at the theatre, but I was wondering if I could buy the tickets from you?”

           “ _On the off-chance that E says yes, can I ask why?_ ”

           “I may or may not have cancelled my reservations for my date in a panic-induced lapse of judgement…”

           Traci sighed. “ _E is saying yes, so I guess you can. Wasn’t supposed to be that good anyway… Can I give you some advice though?_ ”

           “Of course.”

           “ _It’s about the experience, Con, not the destination. Focus on-_ ” She was cut off and a series of muffled talking came from the phone before a new voice spoke.

           “ _Don’t focus on anything, just do what feels right, okay?_ ” That was definitely Tracee E’s voice.

           “Um… okay? I’m pulling up to Markus’ house, so I’ll talk to you guys soon? We’ll stop by there to pick up the tickets.”

           “ _‘Kay, bye!_ ” With that, Tracee E hung up the phone and Connor pulled into the drive of Markus’ house. To say it was grand was an understatement, it was practically a mansion. Connor knew that Markus’ dad was a famous painter, but he didn’t know that he was this famous.

           Putting the car in park, he turned it off before walking up to the door. Once he reached the stained-glass door, he pressed the doorbell, hearing it ring its tune even from outside. He heard a series of fast-paced steps before a familiar face opened the door.

           “Connor, you’re here!” Markus smiled and pulled him into a hug. Immediately, Connor felt that same rush of giddiness he always felt when he saw Markus as he hugged him back. He gave Markus a quick peck on the cheek before pulling back.

           “Ready to go?” Connor smiled at him, hoping his nervousness wasn’t showing as he met Markus’ eyes. He was confused, though, when Markus withdrew from him a bit, a coy smirk on his lips.

           “Actually, I know we agreed that you could pick the date this time, but there’s something I kind of wanted to show you?” Markus’ tone was confident. Connor, who had been fretting over not having a plan, raised an eyebrow.

           “Oh?” Was all he managed to say.

           “Unless you have plans?” Markus seemed to backtrack at that moment, his voice losing some of its confidence.

           “No! I mean, uh, not ones that can’t change?” He said, rather unhelpfully.

           Markus’ smile became bright and beaming again in a way that made Connor’s heart swell. The thought of I missed him coursed through his head, followed by his dad’s voice saying ‘You’re whipped, son’. He felt the heat rising on the back of his neck, so he cleared his throat and tried communicating like a normal human being instead.

           “So, can I… come inside?” He asked, somewhat awkwardly.

           “Oh! Yeah, of course, come on in.” Markus took a step to the side, allowing Connor to enter the house. The foyer was beautiful, complete with beautiful wood floors and beautifully designed decor. A large canvas painting leaned up against the wall next to the stairway, which had a pattern painted on it, reaching all the way to the top. On the other side of the room, there was a golden vanity mirror with various knick-knacks on it, and a coat hanger on one side of it. On the far side of the vanity, was a large, ornate birdcage with two yellow birds inside of it. Connor vaguely remembered Markus’ lock screen being of two chickadees, these must be the ones in the photo. A set of double doors was at the far end of the room, and a single door was off in the corner adjacent to it.

           “Your house is stunning,” Connor muttered. He just now realised, this was his first time /in/ Markus’ house. Sure, he had met him at the door a few times, dropped him at the front steps, but never had he gone in … until today. Markus reached up and slid Connor’s jacket off of his shoulders, seemingly unfazed by the whole situation and the fact that his touch was leaving goosebumps across Connor’s skin where he had brushed his hand accidentally against Connor’s collarbone.

           “Thanks, my Dad designed the whole thing.” Markus smiled, hanging up Connor’s jacket on the nearby coat rack. He placed his hand on Connor’s back as he began to lead him towards the double doors. It was dim and overcast outside, reminding Connor of the day they had gone on their first date. Markus pushed open one of the double doors, which Connor now noticed were the push-open kind. “I don't know if you remembered, but it's kind of our anniversary? I hope you don't mind me waiting to tell you, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

           He didn't really get a chance to see much of the right side of the room since the lights were off, but he thought he saw a tall shape looming in the shadows. He disregarded it as soon as he set eyes on the other side of the room. A dining table was revealed from the darkness by a candelabra centrepiece that gave the area a gentle, romantic glow that -- for some inexplicable reason -- made Connor feel safe and warm. The table was set with gleaming, silver cutlery and warm, steaming food that made Connor’s mouth water. He had been so nervous today that he hadn't even eaten, leaving him with a gnawing hunger in his stomach that he just now noticed. He looked over at Markus, suddenly overcome by emotion.

           “Markus, I-”

           “Is it too much? If it is, we can still-”

           “It's perfect, Markus.” Connor knew his expression was probably too open, too adoring, but he didn't care. He loved Markus, and at that moment, he was sure. His heart melted when he saw Markus returning an equally caring look.

           “Let's enjoy it then.” He pulled out the chair for Connor before sitting down on the opposite side himself. It was then that Connor took notice of the actual food he had been served: A Grecian-style Caprese salad with extra balsamic vinaigrette; a small fish fillet; and a sweet, red wine that had a deep rich colour. It was Connor’s favourite meal, and he was kind of shocked that Markus had even known.

           “Markus, you didn't have to do all this for me, you know.” Connor began but was quickly cut off by Markus shaking his head, a fond and amused look on his face.

           “I did it because I wanted to do something special for you.” Markus looked as if he was debating something, and drummed his fingers along the wood in a short and fast melody. Connor knew it was something he did whenever he had something to say. “And I love you, Connor. I just want to make you happy.”

           Connor reached his hand out, without thinking, and covered the one that Markus had laid on the table. “You never have to worry about that. You’ll always make me happy, Markus. I love you.”

Markus had a faint blush on his cheeks and a playful smile on his lips when he spoke again. “Even when we argue over what music to play?”

           “Always,” Connor said as Markus intertwined their hands together. “Even when you make me … irritated, you always find a way to make me happy again.”

           Connor wasn't sure how long they spent gazing into each other's eyes. Markus’ eyes may have been different colours, but they conveyed the same thing to Connor that they had since the first day they had met: a hidden secret as if there was something just beyond them that held some sort of value. At first, they had been like the locks on a treasure chest, but the more that Connor looked at them, they were more like the jewels you'd find within. A pale sapphire and a deep peridot, gleaming with emotion and thought. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

           Markus’ smile turned wry. “It'd be a shame if we didn't eat all this food.”

           Connor rolled his eyes good-naturedly but began to eat regardless. “My god, Markus! This is delicious.”

           He was probably exhibiting poor etiquette and manners, but he was starved and this was the best caprese and fish he had eaten in a while. He remembered the first time he had caprese was when he was about 16 and he had told his dad he would make supper that night. He hadn't exactly had a plan, so he looked up ‘easy things to make that don't require a stove and are healthy’ and viola, caprese. It had just been tomatoes and balls of feta with a few bits of chicken and spinach in there, but both Richard and Hank had sworn they loved it, though Connor was pretty sure his dad was just saying that to make him feel better. Ever since then, it had always reminded him of family and contentment.

           As they ate, the two of them talked about all sorts of things, from work to flavours of cola (I love you, Markus, but if you ever drink grape soda before kissing me we are breaking up) and if ‘pescatarian’ is a word. It was pleasant, and Connor knew they had more fun there then they would've at any upper-crust play (though he'd have to apologize to Traci later) or restaurant. Connor then realised he had nothing to worry about, because neither of them would care where they went, as long as they were together.

***

           By the time they had finally finished their meal, their food had long since gone cold. It was a while after that when they finished the bottle of wine, still having a good time. Laughing at a particularly funny comment Markus had made, Connor shook his head, a fond smile on his lips as he finished his third, and final, glass of wine. Setting the glass down, he glanced at his watch. It was 8:36 already, and then it was still a 30-minute drive from Markus’ to his house. Thinking to himself, he tried to use the equation they had taught him in school to figure out BAC. His had to be 0.6%-0.8%, but he could still drive like that, right? He was so wrapped up in thought, he hadn't noticed Markus get up from his seat and walk around the table. He started when Markus’ hands came to rest on his shoulders and Markus’ mouth on his neck. Connor felt a warmth spread through him in a headier, more alluring way than the wine had before. He tilted his head to the side as a sigh escaped him.

           “If I didn't know any better, Markus, I'd say you had less than innocent intentions when you served the wine,” Connor muttered playfully, a sweet returning in place of the grin he had early that night. Markus just chuckled against his skin, too focused on what he was doing to really respond. Connor, feeling his inhibitions leave him, turned in his seat and put his hands on either side of Markus’ face, pulling him into a deep kiss. It wasn't rushed or heavy, just deep and loving. They continued like that for a while, only stopping to breathe when Markus grunted and pulled away.

           “Let's go upstairs,” Markus suggested. “I'm not making out in front of a fucking ten-foot-tall, stuffed giraffe.”

           Connor didn't really know what that meant, but he agreed anyway. He didn't care what the reason was, he was ready for anything that would allow him to kiss Markus for just a little longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it took me so long to post this! It's been crazy here for the past week. Between the livestock shows and the scorching heat (I'm dying) I've been outside or in a sun-induced coma. I _finally_ had time to write last night though, and the next fic I post will probably be Wednesday or Thursday is not today.  <3


End file.
